Date of death appraisals
Values the home as of the day the owner died. The report sets the stepped-up cost basis, so heirs who sell later are taxed only on gains after that date. Austin has completed hundreds of these in San Francisco.
Best San Francisco Appraiser for date of death, estate, gift tax, and market value appraisals
Austin Fernald is a California Certified Residential Appraiser who handles date of death, estate, gift tax, and market value appraisals for homes, condos, co-ops, TICs, and 2 to 4 unit buildings across San Francisco. Call or text for a fee quote within one business day. Most reports go out 4 to 5 business days after the inspection.
- 14 yearsappraising California homes full time
- 3,000+residential appraisal reports completed
- 4 to 5 daystypical delivery after the inspection
- 4.9 starsaverage across 28 Google and Yelp reviews
Date of death, estate, and gift tax appraisals in San Francisco
These reports are written for executors, successor trustees, estate attorneys, and CPAs who need a value they can put in front of the IRS or a court, and for owners who want to know what a property is worth today.
Estate, probate, and trust appraisals
For executors, successor trustees, and probate attorneys. The report supports court filings, trust accounting, an estate tax return on Form 706 when one is due, and distributions to beneficiaries.
Gift tax appraisals
Documents fair market value when a San Francisco property is given away during the owner's lifetime. The IRS requires a qualified appraisal to support the value reported on Form 709.
Market value appraisals
What the property is worth today, for a private sale, a buyout between co-owners, refinancing outside a lender, or financial planning.
Other appraisals
- Divorce. Community property value as of the date of separation, the date of trial, or both, for settlement or San Francisco Superior Court.
- Property tax appeal. Value as of the January 1 lien date for the San Francisco Assessment Appeals Board.
- Pre-listing. An independent value before listing, since list prices here are often set well below the expected sale price.
- Retrospective. Value on any past date for capital gains, litigation, or a Proposition 19 parent-to-child transfer.
Date of death reports document the new cost basis under IRC section 1014 and support an estate tax return on Form 706 when one is required. Gifts are reported on Form 709, and the Board of Equalization explains parent-to-child transfers on its Proposition 19 page.
Why San Francisco property needs a local appraiser
San Francisco has housing that most of California doesn't. A tenancy-in-common share, a rent-controlled fourplex with protected tenants, and a house with an unwarranted in-law unit each sell to a different set of buyers at a different price.
On every assignment, Austin checks the details that move value in this city:
- Whether a unit is a condominium or a co-op, and whether a condo conversion is still pending
- Vacant units, protected tenants, or an Ellis Act history in a multi-unit building
- Whether an in-law unit is permitted, legalized under the ADU ordinance, or unwarranted
- Parking that is deeded, leased, tandem, or missing
- Soft-story seismic retrofit status
- View premiums in Russian Hill, Twin Peaks, Sea Cliff, and Diamond Heights
Comparable sales come from the same neighborhood and, where it matters, the same building type. A Noe Valley Victorian is measured against Noe Valley Victorians. Prices can change a lot between neighbors like the Marina and Cow Hollow, so a citywide average isn't good enough.
How much does a home appraisal cost in San Francisco?
A private appraisal of a San Francisco single-family home or condo starts at $500, and a 2 to 4 unit building starts at $700. The final fee depends on the property's size, the scope of work, and the effective date. Austin sends an exact quote within one business day.
| Property type | Starting fee |
|---|---|
| Single-family house | From $500 |
| Condominium | From $500 |
| Residential land | From $500 |
| 2 to 4 unit building | From $700 |
A full interior inspection costs more than an exterior-only one. A 5,000 square foot house costs more than a 1,000 square foot condo, and a rent-controlled fourplex with tenants costs more than a vacant duplex.
Appraisals as of a past date, such as a date of death or date of separation, need historical market research. Those fees often run above the starting price for a current-date appraisal of the same home. There are no add-ons after the inspection.
How to order an appraisal
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Send the details
Call or text 415-233-6925 with the address, why you need the appraisal, and the effective date if it isn't today.
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Get a quote
Austin reviews the assignment and replies with a fee and a delivery date within one business day.
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Inspection and research
Austin inspects the property in person, then works through MLS data, public records, and local market conditions.
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Receive the report
You get a USPAP compliant report written for its reader, usually 4 to 5 business days after the inspection.
San Francisco neighborhoods served
Austin appraises property in every San Francisco neighborhood, including these:
- Bernal Heights
- Castro
- Cow Hollow
- Diamond Heights
- Dogpatch
- Glen Park
- Haight-Ashbury
- Hayes Valley
- Ingleside
- Inner and Outer Mission
- Marina District
- Mission Bay
- Noe Valley
- North Beach
- Pacific Heights
- Potrero Hill
- Presidio Heights
- Richmond District
- Russian Hill
- Sea Cliff
- South Beach
- St. Francis Wood
- Sunset District
- Telegraph Hill
- Twin Peaks
- West Portal
- Western Addition
Property types include single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes and row houses, co-ops, 2 to 4 unit buildings, residential income property, and residential land.
About Austin Fernald
Austin Fernald grew up in a family that invested in and appraised residential property, and has now appraised homes in California full time for 14 years, with more than 3,000 reports completed. Austin holds California Certified Residential Appraiser license AR3002942, issued by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers.
The office is in San Rafael, about 15 miles north of downtown San Francisco. Austin does every inspection, picks every comparable, writes every report, and answers the follow-up questions. You won't be handed off to a trainee or a call center.
Most clients are estate and family law attorneys, executors, trustees, CPAs, and homeowners. The reports are written so that every one of those readers can follow them.
Verify the license in the BREA license lookup. Reports follow USPAP and IRS appraisal guidelines.
San Francisco appraisal questions
What is a date of death appraisal?
A date of death appraisal is a retrospective appraisal that values a property as of the day the owner died. Heirs and trustees use it to set the stepped-up cost basis under IRC section 1014 and to support an estate tax return if one is due.
When do I need a gift tax appraisal?
When you give real property to someone during your lifetime and report the gift on IRS Form 709. The IRS requires a qualified appraisal to support the value you report, and the appraisal is dated to the day of the gift.
How long does a San Francisco appraisal take?
You get a fee quote and a delivery date within one business day of your request. Most reports are delivered 4 to 5 business days after the inspection.
Can you appraise a property as of a past date?
Yes. A retrospective appraisal values the property as of an earlier date, such as the date of death, the date of separation, or the date of a gift. It takes historical sales research, so the fee is often higher than a current-date appraisal of the same home.
Is this the same as the appraisal my lender orders?
No. The fees on this page are for private, non-lender appraisals ordered by owners, attorneys, trustees, and CPAs. If you are getting a mortgage, the lender orders its own appraisal.
Do you appraise TICs and co-ops?
Yes. A TIC share is compared with other TIC sales and a co-op with other co-ops, because each one sells to its own pool of buyers at its own price per square foot.
Can my attorney or CPA order the appraisal?
Yes. Attorneys and CPAs often order on a client's behalf, and the report can be addressed to them as the intended user.
How do I check an appraiser's license in California?
Search the name or license number in the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers license lookup at brea.ca.gov. Austin Fernald's license number is AR3002942.
Get a quote from a San Francisco appraiser
Text or call with the address and the reason you need a value. You'll have a fee and a delivery date within one business day.